Arizona football: Final hires could give Rodriguez a big boost

Rich Rodriguez's first month as the Arizona Wildcats' head coach
has been stuck on repeat, a never-ending run of phone calls,
flesh-pressing, fundraising and forecasting.

He can be forgiven for falling a few days behind.

Rodriguez has said repeatedly since Nov. 21 that his coaching
staff would be filled by the end of this week. Yet as Saturday drew
to a close, the Wildcats' coach had at least four more hires to
make.

Strength coach Chris Allen became Rodriguez's seventh hire of
the offseason when he was named Friday; of those, five -
co-offensive coordinators Calvin Magee and Rod Smith, wide
receivers coach Tony Dews, offensive line coach Robert Anae and
secondary coach Tony Gibson - qualify as on-field coaches. The
Wildcats must still name a defensive coordinator, two other
assistants and a recruiting coordinator.

Rodriguez could make a splash by delivering on one or more of
the following three moves:

1. Convince a coordinator to move west

Rodriguez admitted that his next defensive coordinator will be
"a big hire for me, obviously," and he cares enough to make him the
highest-paid assistant on staff. The Wildcats want West Virginia
defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel, but it's unclear whether he's
prepared to leave his home state for the Sonoran Desert. Media
outlets in West Virginia reported that Casteel, the Big East's
highest-paid assistant, is weighing offers from both WVU and the UA
heading into the Jan. 4 Orange Bowl. Rodriguez and Casteel have
known each other for years, so the UA's coach knows more than
anybody how hard it will be to get the longtime assistant to leave.
Casteel passed on a job at Michigan when Rod-riguez - and most of
West Virginia's staff - left for Ann Arbor in 2008.

2. Answer the Kish question

Former defensive coordinator and interim head coach Tim Kish has
remained in Tucson since the end of the Wildcats' season, even
making appearances in the UA's football offices in recent weeks.
Rodriguez would be wise to keep Kish on staff as a coordinator or
position coach, especially if Casteel or a similarly qualified
candidate turns him down. Kish is well-connected and well-liked
among his peers. And as the UA's top in-state recruiter since 2004,
he could provide a bridge from the old staff to the new one and
serve as a valuable resource as the UA woos prospects from Phoenix
and Tucson.

3. Name a "name" guy

Rodriguez likely has about $1 million to round out the rest of
his staff - enough money to make a splash if he finds one high-end
candidate. Tim Brewster might be his guy: Arizona offered a job to
the former Minnesota head coach, according to The Austin (Texas)
American-Statesman. Brewster 51, could be lured to Tucson with the
right deal. He coached tight ends and special teams at North
Carolina (1989-97) and tight ends at Texas (1998-2001) before
embarking on an NFL coaching career. The Wildcats are still in need
of both tight ends and special teams coaches. Coincidence? Maybe.
But Brewster, an accomplished recruiter with ties to the Lone Star
State, would be the big-name hire fans are waiting for.